Have you ever been scared to do something? When I sold my business to write a book, I was scared to death. Fear must be a common struggle for people because it is mentioned in the Bible more than 500 times. We see angels saying, “Fear not,” and even Jesus says to his closest disciples, “do not be afraid.” Maybe there is something sacred in being scared.
The other day, I was reading one of Richard Rohr’s daily devotions on fear. Inside the blog was this breathing mediation.
“Arthur Riley offers this breath practice:
INHALE: I will not be silenced by fear.
EXHALE: A quivering voice is still sacred.
INHALE: God, my soul trembles.
EXHALE: Steady me in your arms.
INHALE: I will meet this fear with rest.
EXHALE: God, steady me in your arms.”
The first time I read through it, in the second line, I read it as, “A quivering voice is still scared.” Not sacred but scared. When I reread it correctly, “A quivering voice is still sacred,” I realized in our most scared moments, we often experience the Sacred.
“A quivering voice is still sacred.”
That’s when I found Luke 5:1-11;
“One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. 2 He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”
5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.
Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
If you remember, over the last two weeks, we have been talking about “Who are you following?” Believe it or not, when I read this passage, Simon referring to Jesus as “Master” struck me.
Last week in Part 2, we talked about disciple, follower or Christian. The word “disciple,” as defined by Merriam-Webster, means “one who accepts and assists in spreading the doctrines of another.” It also implies “a devoted allegiance to the teachings of one chosen as a master.”
Obviously, from the scripture reading above, Simon must have already known Jesus and already had a devoted allegiance to His teachings for him to call Jesus Master.
I had go back and reread my own blog, the first one, Who are you following? to see when Andrew followed Jesus home, who was his brother he went back to get. It was Simon. Simon Peter.
“scared moments turn into sacred moments”
We know of Peter. We know how scared he was, so scared he denied Christ three times, just like Jesus said he would. But in that moment, on that boat, although he was scared to death, he was also amazed at the divinity and power of God manifest in a boat full of fish to the point of sinking! Scared and sacred at the same time.
They just caught more fish than they had in their entire careers as fishermen. Overcome with emotion and the greatness of God standing before him, Peter falls to his knees. And Jesus says, “ “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.”
I love these last verses from The Message; “ Jesus said to Simon, “There is nothing to fear. From now on you’ll be fishing for men and women.” They pulled their boats up on the beach, left them, nets and all, and followed him.
They left the biggest catch of their lives to follow Jesus, our Immanuel. God with us, here beside us. Maybe it took a miracle of fish to get their attention, to show Jesus’ divinity, or to convince them that He is worth it all! Nevertheless, when we do those things we are scared to do, sometimes those scared moments turn into sacred moments and our lives are changed forever! Now, we are fishers of people!
Let us pray:
Oh great God, give us the courage to follow You even when we are scared. Help us to see the sacredness in these moments, and know we are bringing the kingdom of God here to earth. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
P.S. Leave me a comment below because I love hearing from you. Forward this message to your friends and family and ask them to subscribe. Post of Facebook and tag me in it. Until next time, imagine Jesus whispering in your ear, “Follow me.” What would you do? -M
One thought on “scared to sacred”
Today is the day of salvation! There is no other way but to trust and obey. Thank you. Praise God!